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December 12, 2000

Product at centre of Armstrong controversy is banned

By Erica Bulman in Lausanne, Switzerland

Actovegin, the product allegedly used by Lance Armstrong's team during this year's Tour de France, has been
declared a banned substance by the International Olympic Committee.

Actovegin, the product allegedly used by Lance Armstrong's team during this year's Tour de France, has been
declared a banned substance by the International Olympic Committee.

The IOC medical commission today said the substance - containing extracts of calf's blood - is banned under the
category of blood doping.

"The medical commission examined this substance and concluded that it was very clear that it was a substance that
was banned by the Olympic medical code and belonged to the category of blood doping," said panel chairman Prince
Alexandre de Merode. "I think we need to be very precise that the position of the medical commission is that this is
a banned substance.

"There may have been a bit of hesitation a few months ago. This hesitation no longer exists today."

Actovegin has been at the center of controversy since October after French judicial authorities opened a preliminary
investigation into whether the U.S. Postal Service team used banned substances during the 2000 Tour. Armstrong,
who came back from cancer, won the Tour for the second straight year.

Armstrong and the team have repeatedly denied using banned drugs.

"Here's the bottom line to everyone: I'll start by saying that we are completely innocent," Armstrong said on his
personal website Tuesday. "We run a very clean and professional team that has been singled out due to our
success.

"I will say that the substance on people's minds, Activ-o-something (Actovegin) is new to me. Before this ordeal I
had never heard of it, nor had my teammates."

Armstrong said that the wide spectrum of drugs and medical products found were simply necessary tools to treat 25
to 50 people on the Tour de France over three weeks.

"If something were to go wrong with any of them he (the team doctor) would be responsible for their well-being.
That's why he would have things like adrenaline, cortisone, scissors, stitches, etc.," Armstrong said. "Some may be
viewed as 'performance enhancers but they're not used in that sense.

"And to so incorrectly call something a substitute for doping is clueless and irresponsible. I can assure everyone we
do everything in the highest moral standard."

Armstrong also indicated he may not compete at next year's Tour de Tour de France if the doping allegations
continue.

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"I will say that if the current situation exists then I will not ride the Tour in 2001. Period," said Armstrong. "I'm not
saying that to 'threaten' or 'warn' anyone as I really don't think the French care either way if I go."

The Paris prosecutor's office launched the investigation into the U.S. Postal team after receiving an anonymous
letter saying suspicious behavior had been detected by a TV crew of the state-run France 3 station during the Tour.

The TV crew had noticed two men dumping plastic bags that contained compresses, packaging from foreign
products and medicine, including Actovegin.

Actovegin, manufactured in Norway, contains deproteinized extracts of calf's blood. Injected into the body, it
improves the circulation of oxygen in the blood in a manner similar to the banned drug EPO, or erythropoetin, which
enhances endurance by boosting the production of oxygen-rich red blood cells.

"It's advertised as enhancing the flow of oxygen to the brain," IOC medical director Patrick Schamasch said. "And if
it brings oxygen to the brain, it can also bring oxygen to the other parts of the body."

De Merode said a number of Olympic teams imported Actovegin into Sydney for the Summer Games. He said this
was done with the approval of Australian customs, which did not consider the product illegal.

"Some teams brought in as many as 400 capsules," de Merode said.

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